First off, Diop.  Looks like the Mavs did in fact try to complete a S&T for Diop which included Stackhouse.  The Nets thought though that Stack would not be a good fit for a team that is rebuilding and that he would prevent CDR from developing.  So it never happened on the Nets side.  This of course led us to sign Diop for more money and time than what the Mavs probably wanted.  But from a fan standpoint, I think that had we done that trade, we would have given up one of our most valuable trading chips that can now be used to help fill in that huge black hole we have below here.

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As we start up with the summer league play tonight, my favorite summer league player, "Pops", wont be attending tonights game, as he is holding out for offers that are coming in from Europe.  Apparently he is taking some time to sort everything out with his agent, and is expected to rejoin the team on Saturday or Sunday.

"I definitely want to be with the Mavericks," said Mensah-Bonsu, who played 12 games with the team during his rookie season in 2006-07. "We’re just trying to make sure we go about everything the right way."

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Mavs have some interest in picking up Yakhouba Diawara and Najera is drawing interest with the Spurs... ugh

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Here are some "get to know them" blurbs on summer leaguers Keith McLeod

"Three-point shooting is my strong suit," said Frahm, who has played for five NBA teams in four seasons. "In summer league you really have that style where you’re going up and down more than you are in the regular season, so there’s a lot of opportunity to shoot."

and Richie Frahm

"He's what I call an NBA shooter," coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's got a consistent stroke. He's an NBA player. He's proven it. And to me, he's more than a shooter. He's a deceptive athlete. He's a hard-nosed, tough-minded guy who is a better defender than people give him credit for. That's one of the reasons I wanted to have him here. He's one of many with a chance."

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Mavs.com did a great Q&A with Green... the more I hear about this guy, the more optimistic I am getting about him.  He has a ton of upside being so young and talented, yet judging by this article, knows he has a long road ahead of him before he becomes a significant player in the NBA.

MC: What do you bring to the table?

GG: A lot of my athleticism, ability to shoot the ball, energy, and just hustle, all-out hustle. I’m not here to try to do anything I’m not supposed to do. I’m here to learn and listen, listen to guys like Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Coach Carlisle, all the assistant coaches. Right now I’m just trying to learn and get better as I go.

MC: You took less money to come here.

GG: I think it’s just the best situation for me. Sometimes it’s not all about money, sometimes it’s about the right situation, the right fit for you. That’s what I felt like I wanted to do.

MC: Why are you playing in summer league?

GG: The advantage is when training camp comes I’ll know all the plays, I’ll know all the coaching staff and have a good relationship with the coaches, staff and players. Going to Minnesota, I knew five of the players, but I didn’t really know the whole team, didn’t really know the coaches, so that’s what I want to do. I’m coming here early to start working out here and start getting a good relationship with the coaches and getting to know the players and they can get to know me as a person, on and off the court. I’m just trying to get an early start.

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Tipoff tonight is at 7pm PST (9pm CST) and will be on ch. 21, NBA TV, and I think online probably.  Wes or I will open up a thread later on for the game.